Monday’s opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem was not yet the promised move of the embassy from Tel Aviv. The ambassador now has an office in the Jerusalem Consulate General’s annex campus instead of in a rented room at the King David Hotel. A plaque now marks the identity as ‘United States Embassy – Jerusalem, Israel’ and adds President Trump’s name.

This first phase only involves shifting the ambassador and core staff to Jerusalem — less than a half-dozen people. The new presence will operate as a diplomatic nerve center.
Including building modifications and additional security, this first move cost less than $400,000, within the revised budget.

Some Palestinians view moving the embassy as a major betrayal of Washington’s decades-old role as a potential broker for a peace deal with Israel. Those who arrived at the ceremony to celebrate the opening of the new embassy dismissed claims that the move undermines the chances for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

On Tuesday, May 15th, Palestinians marked the Nakba, Arabic for “catastrophe,” a term used for the flight and expulsion of an estimated 600,000 Palestinians seven decades ago upon Israel’s creation.

President Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, asserted that moving the embassy from Tel Aviv is “a recognition of reality” that ends the United States and Israel “operating on a completely different wavelength.”

Plans underway to open the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem

Secretary Pompeo visited Israel on April 29, 2018, having just visited Saudi Arabia and before visiting Jordan.

Pompeo announced that the new embassy will be opened on May 14th, the 70th anniversary of Israel’s independence and 70 years of recognition of the state by the U.S.

A reference to final peace agreements came when Pompeo said that “… the boundaries of Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem remain subject to negotiations between the parties …” Primarily, Pompeo addressed “… efforts to counter Iran’s destabilizing and malign activity throughout the Middle East …”

Irony of ironies: Secretary Pompeo met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv where the Prime Minister maintains an office. Jerusalem is the seat of Israel’s government, but Tel Aviv will continue to be the practical location for international affairs.

I’ve mentioned before that Israel’s international airport is a short limousine ride from Tel Aviv destinations. Jerusalem, in contrast, is 40-45 minutes away (50 km).

Jerusalem has an airport, but international regulators refuse to authorize international flights into the airport. It’s not yet clear to me why Jerusalem is off limits. If it’s a political issue, the pertinent element is that the airport is in disputed Jerusalem territory.

If we can dismiss political matters, the Jerusalem airport is not secure and safe. The runway lies a short distance from the Jerusalem security barrier and the Palestinian city of Ramallah. Israel police and military forces have made little effort to keep Palestinians away from their side of the barrier. Consequently, Palestinians have been heaving rocks onto the tarmac with impunity.